On the news this morning, I read about increasing use of food banks as people struggle to live on less money. Yet another story mentions a prediction of everyone having internet access in 2025. Not sure how society will solve poverty problems in ten years to ensure we will all be able to connect to the internet. I guess street-people can pop into a charity internet cafe. Nearly one-and-a-half thousand tech industry experts, scholars, and other analysts underwent a survey for Net Threats, part of Pew’s Digital Life in 2025 series. The frightening predictions for the future of the internet reveal computer experts's concerns about the direction of the world wide web. They identified several evolving threats to civil liberties online, including an increase of state crackdowns on unapproved websites and government spies snooping into web surfers’ lives. Add to that, the commercialization of the web.

Wikimedia Commons

We all know advertisements pay for every service. In England, the BBC's programs are free of ads. Instead, citizens purchase a TV license. We pay one way or another. The Pew Research Center quizzed the experts on whether or not people will be more or less able to freely share information online in a decade. While most said the web of the future would be more open, many feared that the open structure which made the net so powerful would be seriously under threat. Governments worldwide are looking for more power over the net, especially within their own countries to crack down on subversive activity, terrorists, pedophiles etc.

www.huffingtonpost.com

Other reports in the Pew series on Digital Life in 2025 mark the 25th anniversary of the creation of the World Wide Web by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who wrote a paper in 1989 proposing an information management system, which evolved into the web's framework. A couple of years ago, I wrote a draft of a novel set in 2027. Citizens wear a 'handie' which has internet access and is regulated by the government. Consequently, there is no crime. Instead of drinking alcohol, youngsters go to the local bar for a nice concoction of herbs, companionship, and dancing. How do you see the future ten years from now?

It's pretty scary if the ones controlling what we can see are the same corrupt politicians running countries. I hope it stays out of their hands. But as usual it is always up to us to interpret what we are being "fed" by government, business or anyone who writes an article including our contributions to the web of information :)

Technology and its advancements are spell bounding + scary. Biggest fear of technology encroachment in the areas of relationships. There are no co-passengers these days- every 1 is just a passenger fiddling with mobile. Toddles are given Ipads - so that their Mothers can perform the day today chores. Eerie feeling - if this is today - wonder what the next 10 years...wud bring

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Francene Stanley:﻿Author﻿I use news items in my fantasy novels.

Born in Australia, I moved to Britain half way through my long life. If you like my writing, why not consider purchasing one of my books on the sidebar below?I blogged 260 days last year. Link.